WEST NORRITON – There had been a concern at the beginning of the season as to the scoring capability of the Plymouth Whitemarsh High soccer team.

Last year, the Colonials frequently struggled on offense and they were hoping to correct that for this fall.

Thursday afternoon, the score was knotted between PW and host Norristown with just under 10 minutes to play. The Colonials, eyeing a potential district playoff berth and also well aware of a critical match with Upper Dublin on the horizon, could not afford to stumble against an Eagles team which has picked up its level of play in recent weeks.

Looking for that go-ahead goal, PW’s Joey Galleo fed the ball in to freshman Austin Betterly. Betterly, who scored his first two varsity goals in the previous meeting with Norristown, took the pass and threaded his way between two defenders. His shot found the net in the 31st minute of the second half and provided PW the winning margin in an important 2-1 victory over Norristown.

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“Morale was really low when they had scored,” Betterly said of PW having led until the Eagles tied the score nine minutes before his goal. “We thought we were going to win, up 1-0. We had the momentum.

“Once we scored the second goal, we held it.”

The win improved PW’s record to 7-6-2 on the season and 7-3-2 in the Suburban One American Conference. The Colonials trail just Wissahickon and the Cardinals in the standings, having played the Trojans to a scoreless tie last week.

“I thought Norristown was much improved from the last time we played them,” Colonials head coach Devon Landgraff said, “but we have been playing with tons of confidence lately, especially since the Wissahickon game.

“The kids are playing with much more confidence. We’re moving the ball well. It’s paying off.”

Having moved Betterly into an increased position in the rotation has paid off, as well. The freshman also had a goal in the team’s shutout of Upper Merion on Tuesday.

Galleo had provided PW with the lead just over two minutes into the second half, the team’s first shot attempt of the half taken from about 20 yards out and floating above the defense to find the mark in giving the Colonials the advantage on the road.

The score became tied at 1-1 when a loose ball out in front of the net became an own goal against PW.

“That was really frustrating,” said Galleo, who had the goal and an assist on the day, as he did in the first meeting between the teams. “We know it shouldn’t have happened. Our goalie (Brett Paul) called out for the ball. We have to listen and communicate better.”

Nine minutes later, though, Betterly gave PW the lead once again.

“He’s been coming off the bench, playing maybe 15-20 minutes a half,” Landgraff said of Betterly. “But, he finds the holes and he puts it away.

“He breaks through and his speed is so effective. And he’s gotten to the point where his composure lets him finish shots. We’ve needed that from someone.”

The goal finished the scoring for the afternoon, the PW defense clamping down and not allowing the Eagles another shot attempt the remainder of the match.

“When we come to defending, sometimes we get too relaxed and don’t understand the urgency at that point,” Norristown head coach Jared Elias said. “We worked hard, but this has been kind of our season.”

Still, going through the division the second time around, the Eagles have been a much bigger challenge for teams. Norristown has three ties in league play, two in the past week, but it is still looking for the first victory of the season.

“The results, even though they are still losses, they are improving,” added Elias, who got 11 saves from goalkeeper Jack Campbell Thursday. “Every game that we’ve had, it’s been a positive sign. I just wish, for the guys, we could win a game.”

The Eagles host non-league Glen Mills Friday, then play Wissahickon and Cheltenham next week to close out the season. For PW, it hosts Upper Dublin Monday and the plays at Springfield Wednesday.